Wednesday
 
Happy 2013 to everyone, as we return to finish our Top Cards of 2012 Countdown!  Coming in at #3 we have an XYZ Monster in Gear Gigant X.  Gear Gigant X, is the best XYZ Monster for a specific type, specifically Machines, and its own Deck, Geargia.  It's ridiculous support, but necessary for an Archtype that doesn't have a great deal of things going for it.  This is a Rank 4, Earth type, XYZ Monster, with a lower attack at 2300 and an equally low defense at only 1500.  But it has a couple of rather nifty effects.  First, you can detach an XYZ Material from this Monster, you can add a Level 4 or lower Machine type Monster from your Deck OR Graveyard to your Hand.  In addition to that, when this card leaves the Field, regardless of how, by who, or where it goes, you can target a Level 3 or lower Geargia Monster from your Graveyard, and Special Summon it.  Again, this is incredible support, my only problems are the low attack and defense for a Rank 4, and the fact that the second effect HAS to be Level 3 or lower and MUST be a Geargia card, instead of any Machine, like the first effect.  I'm not sure if there is much room for this Deck at present in this Format, but maybe that will change given the new Ban List in a handful of weeks.

Ratings:

Traditional:  2.95/5
Advanced:   3.95/5
Art:  5/5

We are going to finish off this week with the top 3 cards of the year. Coming in at number three is Gear Gigant X. Gigant is the Xyz monster that propelled Georgia’s to greatness. All you need is two level 4 Machine monsters to summon it and by detaching a material you can add a level 4 or lower Machine monster from your deck or grave to your hand. And then, if it leaves the field, you can get your Geargiano MK-11 from the grave to the field.
 
So here is how the YCS winning Geargia deck worked. First you set Geargiarmor or summon Geargiarsenal and use its effect to summon Geargiarmor and then flip it face down. Then your opponent would attack into your 1900 defense monster allowing you to search for Geargiaccelerator. If Geargiarmor survives, on your turn you would use its effect to flip it face down and then flip it up to search for a second Accelerator, special summon both Accelerators, normal summon Karakuri Watchdog, Xyz summon Gear Gigant X, search for another Accelerator and special summon it, Synchro summon Karakuri Steel Shogun and use its effect to special summon Karakuri Strategist using its effect to change its battle position and to draw a card with Shogun’s effect, then Synchro summon Karakuri Shogun and use its effect to summon another Stategist and change the battle position of one of opponent’s monsters. In the end, you will have a Gear Gigant X at 2300, Karakuri Steel Shogun at 2800, Karakuri Shogun at 2600, and a Stategist at 500 for a total of 8200 in attack
 
There are plenty of other monsters you can search for with Gear Gigant X as well. First you can get any machine monster you need to include any of your Geargia and Karakuri monsters plus Genex Ally Birdman. Birdman gives you the ability to pop an Accelerator back to your hand to special summon itself and then you can just special summon Accelerator again allowing you to Synchro summon Karakuri Shogun use its effect to special summon Karakuri Watchdog, and then Synchro summon Karakuri Steel Shogun and use its effect to special summon Stategist and draw a card. Plays for days!!
 
Traditional: 3/5
Advanced: 4/5

I hope your New Year's was good to you all. Number three is the mighty Gear Gigant X. It made a big splash when it was first released as it gave Machine duelists a shiny new Xyz toy to use. Gear Gigant X is one of those very few cards that have so many things going for it and hardly any downsides. A Rank 4 Xyz that needs just 2 level 2 machine type monsters. Geargia and Gadgets can fulfill that with no problem. Gigant X boasts very good stats for a Rank 4 Xyz, as it can fend off most monsters and when teamed with Limiter Removal, well...you know. Its effect gets you a level 4 or lower Machine type monster from your deck/graveyard once per turn by detaching an Xyz material from Gear Gigant X. And should it leave the field in any way, you get to special summon a level 3 or lower Geargia monster from your graveyard. Most monsters have to be destroyed, or pay a cost to do that. Anything that causes it to leave the field and the effect kicks in, allowing you to summon your Geargia monster. So many good things going for it, and hardly anything going against it. All hail the new Machine King, and the number 3 card on our list, Gear Gigant X.
 
Traditional: 3
Advanced: 5
Tomorrow: Not so shocking.